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gleitet gisten gatnt fitte.'

p Letters Patent No. 74,022, dated February 4, 1868.

LETTER-GAME.

t'ng Segnale autant ttv in tgest ttttns man mit nuttin tnt at tte snuit.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. WHEAT, of Rochester, inthe county of Monroc,'and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Orthographie or Letter-Garne g and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speciicationyin whichwords being indicated by the dotted lines, angles, and the arrows. v Figure 2 is a view of one of the mallets m. l

Figure 3 is a view of one of the balls B, showing its relative size with the mallet.

Figure 4 is a detached view of one of the lettered stakes.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the king-post I.

This'invention consists in the application of the alphabet, or letters, or figures, or numerals, to a series of stakesto be arranged by pairs in a circle or other suitable forni, in such a manner that a ball may be driven by a mullet, or otherwise, through between 'any two of the pairs'of stakes, one of which shall bear the proper letter entering into the crthography of any word or sentence selected upon which to playthe game.

To enable others to make and use my invention, Ivwill describe its details.

` I provide twenty-six stakesor pins, of suitable size and length, and marked with the letters of the alphabet, eitherprinted or painted on, or otherwise atlixed to them or numerals or other characters may be used. The pins may be turned with a head, one side tlattened, and the letter or character applied to that face, as shown in fig. 4; or they may be lettered on three sides, to show the letter of each stake from any part of the circle. There should be a king-post or centre-pin, P, which may be made somewhat larger and longer than the alphabetstakes. This king-post should bear the colorsot` the balls and mallets', similar to the starting and tnrningstakes or posts in the croquet-sets. i

To set the game, the king-post P isdriven, and a circle is struck around it, seventeen feet, more or less, in diameter, which will afford about four feet space between the pairs of stakes. This is done by means of a cord attached to a ringr thrown loosely over the king-post. After striking the outer circle, a second one is marked one foot or more within the first. These circles are then divided into thirteen equal spaces by short radial lines or points, on which the lettered posts are driven, with their lettered side facing the king-post, which is the starting-point in the' game. The stake A is driven in the inner circle, and B in the outer circle, as its fellow C in the inner, and D in the outer circle, a-s the next pair, and so on until the game is set. As a matter of convenience, each player may be provided with a ringoi" a like color with his m'allet and ball, to throw over the stake bearing the letter he has last gained. Thefballs and mallets used for playing croquet may be employed .for playing this game` y 'Y The gaine is shown in the drawings as applied to a table or a parlor-game. In the yard there would be no Figure 1 is a plan or diagram of the set game, the direction and positions oi thc ball in spelling a word or such restrictions as herepresented by the elevated rim r; consequently, in playing in the yard, the opportunities '1 of getting a desirable position are much more favorable.

Suppose the sentence upon which the gaine is to be played to be, I am rich.' The player having the red bull and mallct is entitled to the first knock, red being the first color on the king-post; and he places his ball about one foot from the post l), and drines the ball, inthe direction ofthe black dotted lines, to the first angle, thence between I and J and A and B, making the pronoun and the rst letter of the word anLj He then drives to the next angle to get a position, and from there to a, making M and R. Then from a to b, from b to cl, and from (Z to c, which spells the sentence. While playing the game, each player has but one knock before the others, except to get a position, unless the party agrees upon a. rule granting privileged or premium knocks for ingenuity in getting good positions, and skill in knockingso as to make two or more letters at one roll, c.

, The party who is longer in spelling the sentence, or is last out, is beaten. Rules of forfeiture may also be established, if desired, for knocking anothers ball out of position. In the absence of such a rule, each player is allowed to get a position to suit. v i

It the sentence to b played were, You are slow, the ball might be driven in the-direction of the red dotted lines. Of course each player may select his own position-and'route for making the necessary letters to spell the sentence. Figures vor characters may be used on the stakes, and the game may be set in :m oblong, square, or any other form, butI prefer the circle.

t will be seen that this gerne may be mede very instructive to children, and very intereetmg to either children or adults. i

What): claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- The application of letters or figures to :L series of stakes or pins, to be arranged substantially as herein shown and described, for thepurpose of constituting a parlor or a. yard play or game, as set forth.

' JAMES E. WHEAT. Witnesses:

-WM. S. LoUGHBoRoUGH,

FRED. A. HATCH. 

